Cardiff City are lining up a mouth-watering pre-season friendly with former Champions League finalists Monaco.

The Echo has discovered that the friendly is earmarked for Ninian Park a week after the team fly back from their pre-season tour to Canada and a week before the big kick-off to the 2006-07 campaign on August 5.

The fixture comes on the back of the high-profile matches in the last two years against Parma, Lazio and Racing Santander.

Monaco were shock finalists in the 2004 Champions League when they beat Real Madrid and Chelsea on the way to losing in the final against Jose Mourinho's FC Porto.

They currently lie 12th in the French top flight and will provide the Bluebirds with a stern test.

Monaco will complete a fascinating line-up of games for City as they prepare for another assault on promotion.

Dave Jones' men have clashes against the China Under-21s side and the Indian senior outfit in the Whitecap Nations Cup tournament that will make up their Canada tour this coming summer.